Top 10 Automotive Industry Trends in 2025

The automotive industry report of the Future Readiness Monitor 2025 provides differentiated insights into strategies, challenges and fields of action in the industry. The trends in automobile industry and startups outlined in this report only scratch the surface of automotive innovations that we identified during our in-depth research. Identifying new opportunities and emerging technologies to implement into your business early on goes a long way in gaining a competitive advantage.

ARK MOTORS builds Electric Vehicles

Innovations like solid-state batteries are set to revolutionise manufacturing priorities and reshape the EV supply chain. These over-the-air updates are becoming essential for ensuring vehicle reliability, safety and security, and are opening new revenue streams for manufacturers. Moreover, its software platform manages real-time energy flows and integrates with solar systems to optimize renewable energy usage. It also enables customers to schedule and monitor charging activity for improved efficiency. Australian startup V2Grid designs V2G technology that converts EVs into mobile energy resources for homes, businesses, and the national grid. Its bidirectional charging system enables EV batteries to both draw electricity and feed surplus power back, which balances demand during peak hours and reduces strain on infrastructure.

🤖 Over-the-Air (OTA) Updates and Personalized Driving Experiences

Solid-state batteries increase energy density, shorten charging times, and give EVs longer ranges and greater convenience. For example, Toyota plans a commercial rollout by 2027 to bring solid-state battery EVs into mass production. Moreover, automakers reduce tailpipe emissions, cities improve air quality, and governments reduce fossil fuel dependence.

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Most car buyers now consider a vehicle’s environmental impact before purchasing, with many willing to pay a premium of over £2,000 for greener emissions. In the Electric Vehicle Market, 2025 Will Be the Year of More – More Models, More Incentives, More Discounting, More Advertising, and More Sales Muscle. People are shifting to EVs because of their design and their being environmentally friendly. 50% of buyers are willing to opt for EVs, so businesses should surely focus on marketing electric vehicles to make their brands more broader.

Automakers integrate these systems to offer more reliable vehicles across global markets. In 2024, EV sales reached 17 million units, accounting for over 20% of global new car sales. Also, the EV market is projected to reach USD 6.16 trillion by 2035 at a CAGR of 25.32%.

• The APH-01 incorporates flax fiber in its body shell, which reduces weight, increases impact resistance, and improves vibration damping.
• Whether this central compute is a monolithic chip such as Nvidia Thor, which will be detailed in 2025, it will also be constructed from chiplets.
• Finally, automotive manufacturers are increasingly adopting PMO software to standardize the execution of complex projects with globally distributed teams and ensure compliance with industry standards.
• Sensor fusion that combines information from various sources improves safety and autonomy by enabling accurate decision-making.
• Looking ahead, there is no doubt that the automotive industry is on the brink of a paradigm shift driven by unprecedented technological advancements and a commitment to sustainability.
• Read on to explore each trend in depth – uncover key drivers, current market stats, cutting-edge innovations, and the 20 leading innovators shaping the future.

European manufacturers are leading the charge with plans for affordable EV models, such as Citroën and Renault. These budget-friendly models aim to stimulate adoption following a dip in EV sales. Consumers research their preferred car on their mobile phones, looking for the best options, offers, and dealerships. Therefore, websites need to be easily readable and accessible across mobile devices, with clear calls to action.

Key Technology Trends in the Automotive Industry in 2025

Looking ahead, Tesla’s strategies are likely to influence industry standards and inspire localisation efforts across the sector. With its focus on next-generation cells and expanded production capacity, Tesla is paving the way for a more efficient and sustainable global EV landscape. The next wave of auto trends is shaped by enabling technologies that extend beyond electrification and connectivity. Quantum computing accelerates material discovery and crash simulation, and edge computing and 5G offer real-time responsiveness in vehicles. Its bidirectional charging technology allows EV batteries to supply electricity to buildings during outages or peak demand.

With the growing popularity of bidirectional charging (V2G) technology, EVs now contribute energy to the grid to improve stability. By focusing on digital transformation, the company aims to integrate predictive analytics and process automation, creating production systems that are adaptable and resilient. These examples point to AI enabling real-time decision-making and predictive maintenance, while improving quality control and minimising downtime, marking the technology ‘a no-brainer’ for production in 2025. Toyota unveiled its forward-thinking approach to electric vehicle design, focusing on sustainability, performance, and cutting-edge technology. Peugeot introduced groundbreaking technologies like the Hypersquare control system and steer-by-wire, marking a significant leap in electric vehicle design and user experience. These innovations represent the brand’s commitment to redefining driving dynamics in the EV era.

Tree Map reveals the Impact of the Top 10 Automotive Trends

The idea behind a circular economy is to create a closed-loop system where materials are reused, refurbished, and recycled rather than disposed of. In 2025, many automakers will focus on creating vehicles that are easier to disassemble, repair, and recycle at the end of their lifecycle. This approach could significantly reduce waste and contribute to a more sustainable automotive industry. Leading companies such as Volkswagen, General Motors, and Volvo have committed to producing zero-emission vehicles and achieving carbon-neutral operations by mid-century. In line with this, automakers focus on sustainability in their manufacturing processes, energy sourcing, and material selection.

The rising role of renewable energy supply in automotive production

• Luxury car brands are experiencing growth due to increased tangible luxury offerings and rising disposable incomes.
• By incorporating AI tools, the company has reduced production costs while accelerating vehicle launch timelines.
• One critical challenge in transitioning to electric mobility is the availability and accessibility of charging infrastructure.
• Circular economy initiatives are also gaining momentum, exemplified by Jaguar Land Rover’s closed-loop recycling for seat foam and Michelin’s production of tires using 45% sustainable materials.
• Bosch demonstrates this through 77 GHz radar modules integrated into adaptive cruise control and collision avoidance systems.
• The automotive cybersecurity market is projected to reach USD 5.11 billion in 2025, with a CAGR of 18.14% from 2024 to 2034.
• Supply chain resilience and nearshoring strengthen operational stability, while vehicle cybersecurity ensures trust in connected ecosystems.
• The shortage may not be as bad as it was in the early 2020s; however, even with a larger output, a report has found that only 26% of organisations that are reliant on these chips have a sufficient supply.

Autonomous driving technology is one of the automotive industry’s most exciting and potentially disruptive developments. While fully autonomous vehicles (AVs) are not yet standard on the roads, significant advancements are being made in 2025 toward realizing the vision of driverless cars. Companies like Tesla, Waymo, and others are working tirelessly to refine the technology, which includes machine learning, computer vision, and lidar (light detection and ranging) systems. The upcoming automotive industry trends refer to evolving changes in patterns within the sector that influence vehicle design, production, marketing, and usage. Technological advancements, along with changing consumer preferences, regulatory changes, and global economic conditions, are driving these trends. The automotive industry is highly dynamic, and these trends are subject to change over time.

Toyota Launches the Urban Cruiser EV—Just Not Here

Current automotive trends are encouraging automotive manufacturers to offer consumers much more than a metal box on four wheels. In addition, the IoT’s potential in the automotive industry presents a significant chance for manufacturers to revamp their marketing strategies. IoT solutions can offer numerous benefits to end-users by utilizing interconnected systems, such as better safety, driving assistance, and predictive maintenance. Collecting user data through these sensors creates ample opportunities for marketers to promote upselling.

Automotive Industry Trends 2025: Future & Growth of Automotive

They’re so important that one analyst said, “semiconductors have moved ahead of oil as the world’s key commodity input for growth”. Explore competitors’ website traffic stats, discover growth points, and expand your market share. In addition, the initiative will leverage the data collected by adding Google’s AI capabilities to Ford vehicles.

Electric Cars.

The SDVs market is set to reach 7.6 million units in 2025 from 6.2 million units in 2024. North America is commanding a 43% share as new-age OEMs focus on BEVs and software-driven architectures. Major technology providers are also solidifying their roles in key areas such as ADAS, electrical/electronic (E/E) architectures, and cloud computing solutions. This will further usher the industry into a new era of smarter, more connected, and more efficient vehicles. The startup’s platform combines augmented reality (AR), smart camera, and surround-view monitoring to illuminate the route on turns, curves, slopes as well as complex junctions.

• Wireless charging could eliminate the need for physical connectors, offering a more seamless user experience.
• Automotive industry trends refer to changes in patterns within the automotive sector that influence vehicle design, production, marketing, and usage.
• Trends span sustainable manufacturing, EV expansion, supply chain nearshoring, vehicle cybersecurity, automotive semiconductors, sensor fusion, autonomous driving, subscription models, SDVs, and V2X.
• This regulatory clarity will pave the way for broader AV adoption in cities, particularly in controlled environments like urban areas or designated autonomous vehicle lanes.
• It also manufactures direct current (DC) fast chargers with capacities of up to 240 kW.
• Software-defined vehicles (SDVs) convert the auto industry by shifting control from hardware to software.
• When it comes to the benefits of connected cars, it seems that drivers are more willing to allow for data collection, too.

Shift Toward Mobility Services

The automotive industry is set to witness huge growth in integrated drive ePowertain systems that reduce weight and cost and offer improvements like enhanced vehicle range and efficiency. In the future, advanced integrated solutions will dominate, leading to lighter and more efficient electric powertrains and driving the next generation of high-performance and mass-market EVs. The integrated powertrain segment is likely to hold ~60-65% of the total e-powertrain market in 2025. Connected cars create new revenue streams via subscription services, data monetization, and personalized experiences. However, it raises privacy and cybersecurity concerns that OEMs must address to maintain consumer trust. The connected car market is a battleground for tech giants and traditional automakers alike.

We explore eight most influential trends expected to define the automotive manufacturing landscape, offering insights into what lies ahead for the industry. The European Commission will start talks in the New Year on the future of the industry in the region as sales of electric vehicles stall. This is not just a European problem with Volkswagen and Stellantis, as Honda and Nissan merge, and Ford and General Motors struggle. Software-defined vehicles (SDVs), where software manages essential functions like steering, braking, and infotainment, will see rapid growth over the next few years.

🚗 Subscription Models and Car-Sharing Services

When demand for cars plummeted in the early days of the pandemic, auto manufacturers stopped ordering them and chip producers focused their attention elsewhere. The global automotive parts market has been steadily growing for the past twenty years. Europe now is the largest market for new plug-in electric vehicles, overtaking China’s first spot. The high prices and increasing interest rates are causing sales to decline for dealers and automakers nationwide.

Also, applications extend from adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping, and traffic jam assistance to robotaxis and driverless trucking. Advanced cameras paired with computer vision enable vehicles to classify road users, read signs, and recognize traffic signals, directly supporting ADAS and autonomous navigation. Silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors improve energy efficiency in high-voltage EV systems by reducing losses and enhancing thermal management.

The AV industry itself is just in its infancy, as there are only 17,000 self-driving cars on the road in the US today. Searches for “autonomous driving” have increased by over 1,029% over the past 10 years. However, it is estimated that over 60% of all Americans have garages that will allow for electric vehicle charging. Some countries (and California) have even committed to phasing out all new sales of combustion engine vehicles over the next few decades.

• Solid-state batteries increase energy density, shorten charging times, and give EVs longer ranges and greater convenience.
• From LFP to cutting-edge solid-state batteries, it examines the trade-offs between cost, performance, and sustainability while uncovering key regional trends.
• Sustainability is a major driver reshaping vehicle design, manufacturing, and lifecycle management.
• Lastly, MARV.Automotive is a configurable and extensible data management platform that reliably transmits data from the vehicle to the cloud.
• Companies like Toyota and Hyundai are investing in hydrogen fuel cell technology.
• Toyota intends to power its battery plant in North Carolina with renewable energy by 2025.

Of course, the danger does not stop with vehicles as smart infrastructure is also at risk, potentially jeopardising safety and operational reliability. By 2025, V2X technology is expected to significantly create more innovative transportation networks and advance autonomous driving capabilities. Looking ahead, there is no doubt that the automotive industry is on the brink of a paradigm shift driven by unprecedented technological advancements and a commitment to sustainability. While most of these concerns can be overcome, it will take some time, and this time will be the most challenging for the industry. Canadian startup KonnectShift provides IoT solutions to optimize fleet and asset management.

Improved range, faster charging times and enhanced performance are making EVs not just environmentally conscious choices, but compelling alternatives for everyday use. The global vehicle subscription market is projected to reach as high as USD 791.0 billion by 2032 at growth rates of up to 74.6% annually. This rapid expansion reflects how automakers and mobility providers are shifting from ownership models toward flexible, access-based mobility solutions. Sensor fusion drives the automotive industry’s shift to autonomy by integrating data from cameras, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), radar, and ultrasonic sensors into a unified perception system.

• Tesla’s relentless drive to expand its global gigafactory network has been a defining feature of 2024.
• However, interest rates may remain high as the Federal Reserve works to lower inflation.
• The demand is highest for vehicles under four years old, which have the latest technologies but are less expensive than new cars.
• On the bright side, partnerships between automakers and tech companies are fuelling innovation and accelerating development, bringing their vision of safer, smarter transportation closer to reality.
• The convergence of AI-driven production systems, the scaling of EV capabilities, and the adoption of sustainable practices will reshape the competitive landscape.
• Usage-based insurance (UBI) models use driving behavior data to provide customized premiums and are gaining popularity.
• Maximising the ROI to investors and stakeholders while remaining competitive will be priorities of the industry.
• From energy-efficient factories to green hydrogen applications, the examples showcased highlight the industry’s shift toward greener production methods.

The World Health Organization links 1.35 million annual deaths to road accidents, creating urgency for autonomy. AI, ML, and computing allow vehicles to process data points per second with split-second precision. This ensures cybersecurity and reliability for engine control, powertrain management, and other mission-critical automotive applications.

Monitoring and understanding these trends are critical for automakers and other stakeholders to stay ahead of their competitors. The US-based startup Apex AI enables automotive companies to implement complex AI solutions. Apex.OS runs on automotive electronic control units (ECUs) check flood and salvage history and offers robust, reliable, and secure APIs to develop autonomous mobility solutions. ApexAutonomy offers modules to build 3D perception, localization, and control to enable autonomous vehicles. Lastly, MARV.Automotive is a configurable and extensible data management platform that reliably transmits data from the vehicle to the cloud. The US-based startup Launch Mobility develops a platform for a range of shared mobility solutions.

Technology Challenges Yield Growth Opportunities

Following these trends helps greater penetration in the emerging market, like the growing adoption of electric vehicles in China and India. Following these trends will equip enterprises with greater penetration in the emerging market, such as the growing adoption of EVs across China and India. A combination of technological advancements, sustainability initiatives, and new business models will shape the automotive industry in 2025. The rise of electric vehicles, autonomous driving, and innovative mobility solutions will redefine how we think about transportation.

Autonomous tech will likely be bundled with subscription services, reshaping mobility economics. From electric vehicles zipping past gas guzzlers to cars that update themselves like your smartphone, the industry is in the middle of a revolution. Did you know that EVs are projected to make up nearly 20% of global vehicle sales in 2026? That’s no longer a distant future — it’s happening now, and it’s transforming everything from manufacturing floors to your driveway. Connectivity is one of the key trends in automotive industry, and 5G is what takes it to a more advanced level.

Prices are expected to decrease as supply-chain issues improve, and sales continue to soften. However, interest rates may remain high as the Federal Reserve works to lower inflation. In October 2022, the delivery lead time for chips decreased by six days to 25.5 weeks, the most significant drop since 2016.